Register for gasoline



June l, 1937. R. s` TowNsEND` ET AL 082,358

REGISTER`FOR GAsoLLNE v Filed March 27, 1935 ATTORNEY Patented June 1, 1937 v is This invention relates to registers, and more particularly to a simple and effective device for indicating the quantity of gasoline which is consumed by a motor vehicle.

Many operators of motor vehicles are interested in the gasoline consumption of their cars, but no means has been available heretofore whereby the quantity of gasoline purchased and used can be totaled readily. A notebook, such as the operator sometimes uses, proves to be unsatisfactory because the user forgets to make the necessary entries. Also many people dislike arithmetic and consequently do not add the figures if they are correctly recorded in the notebook.

It is the object oi.' thepresent invention tol provide an inexpensive' and readily accessible device which is manually operable to register the quantity of gasoline purchased, the total being accumulated automatically so that the user may read the amount with a minimum of enort.

While the device is intended primarily to be mounted on the cap of the gasoline tank, it can be used, with slight modification, on the instru.- ment panel or elsewhere in the car which is accessible for registering and reading the amount o gasoline consumed.

Other objects and advantages oi' the invention will be apparent as it is better understood byreference to the following specification and accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of the device;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the device as mounted on the cap of agasoline tank;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of 2; i

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail in elevation of a portion of the mechanism.

' Referring to the drawing, 5 indicates the illling opening of a gasoline tank attached to a motor vehicle. A cap 6 is provided with arms 1 onthe underside adapted to engage a flange 8 so that the cap is rmly held in place, gasket 9 being pro- -vided to prevent escape of gasoline. This is .the usual construction. The cap may be varied in form and detail as may be desired.

A casing Iii is secured to the cap S by bolts il, or otherwise, and encl the mecsm. The casing is provided with an opening l2 through which the indicia it ci a registering mecism it dised within the casing' y he observed.

' t It wilibeunderstcod that the registering mecha a may he or any form, or de red coproduction, consisting generally oi a piurality ed whe-ehi er U5. hearing numerato @i to t, wi

lUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REGISTER noa GAsouNE Richard Sullivan Townsend, Wayland, Mass., and Eliot Farley, Mount Kisco, N. Y.

Application March 27, 1935, Serial N0. 13,188

(Cl. 23S- 130) able transfer mechanism so that the amount is totaled in the usual way.

A spindle i6 is supported on the brackets I1 within the casing IB. An arm I 8 is secured to a sleeve I9 onthe spindle I6, the sleeve being in 5 turn connected to a anged disc 20 which encloses a spring 2i. One end of the spring is connected to the sleeve I9 and the other to a pin 22 depending from the top of the casing I0. A beveled gear 23 is connected and adapted to be actuated 10 by the disc 20 through a pawl 20', carried on the underside thereof, engaging a ratchet 23'. The pawi 24 prevents reverse movement of the gear 23. The gear 23 meshes with a beveled pinion 2li on the shaft 25 of the registering mechanism 15 IH. Thus when the arm I8 is turned the registering mechanism is actuated. The path of the end of the arm I8 on the top of the casing I0 is divided, as indicated in Fig. 1, to represent gallons and the connections between the arm and the shaft 25 are proportioned so that the movement of the arm transfers the number indicated on the top of the casing I0 to the registering mechanism. In other words, if the arm I8 is moved to indicate ten gallons the registering mechanism will like- 25 wise register ten gallons.

After the arm I8 has been turned to the desired indicating position it is returned by the spring 2 I. A stop 26 projects upwardly from the top of the casing I0 limiting the backward movement of the arm. To prevent incorrect registration a second arm 21 is mounted loosely on the sleeve I9 so that it may be moved to the desired registering position in 'advance oi the armJB. A stop 28 projects upwardly from the arm 21 to limit movement 35 of the arm IB. Thus the user may first set the arm 21 in the desired position and then turn the arm I8 to that position thereby registering the amount of gasoline which has been introduced to the tank. Only when the arm I8 is moved is there 40 any actuation of the registering mechanism.

If the device is mounted, as indicated, upon the gasoline tank it is desirable to prevent tampering with. the mechanism. For this purpose a star wheel 29 is mounted on the shaft 25 and is 45 adapted to be engaged by a pawi 30 on a spring arm Si. The spring arm is secured at one end to the registering mechanism It and has a depending lip Si which passes through an opening in the cap to engage the iiange 8. s@ when the cap is in place on the tank, the pat-vi is held in engagement with the star wheel and the mechanism cannot be actuated. he soon as the cap is removed from the tank. star when is drm and the amount oi' gasoline intron duced to the tank` can be registered in the manner indicated.

The device. as described, anords a simple and elective means to accumulate the figures reprel' senting successive additions of gasoline to the tank. Thus, in starting a trip one may read the indication oi the registering mechanism and, by actuating the mechanism whenever gasoline is added. may observe at the end of the trip how 1o much gasoline has been consumed. By comparing the ngure with the mileage, as shown on the speedometer o! the motor vehicle, the mileage per gallon of gasoline may be determined readily. As hereinbefore indicated the device need is not be mounted necessarily upon the gasoline tank. A suitable mounting may be provided on the instrument panel.

Various changes may be made in the form, ar rangement and construction of the parte with- 20 out departing from the invention or sacriiicing any oi the advantages thereof.

What we claim is:`

1. A register comprising a casing, means for removably mounting the casing upon a support, a i registering mechanism within the casing, means for actuating the registering mechanism, and means actuated by the support when the register mechanism is mounted thereon for preventing actuation of the registering mecha- ELIOT FARLEY. RICHARD `ESCIICiLIVAN TOWNBEND. 

